Page 37 of Piper's Pyro

The door flew open, and Stitch’s fist hit Forrest’s face faster than I could blink. Unfortunately, the weirdo didn’t release my hair.

“Mercy, run! Get help!” Stitch yelled.

“Let go of me!” I tugged on my hair, wincing and gritting my teeth, trying to get it out of Forrest’s hand.

“I will kill you motherfucker.” Stitch smashed his fist into Forrest’s face over and over. “Bite his hand!”

I did as he said and sunk my teeth into Forrest’s flesh. It didn’t work.

Suddenly a loud pop went off, and Stitch fell back. Blood soaked his white coat.

“Son of a bitch. The fucker shot me,” Stitch growled.

“Lucky I didn’t kill you… Yet.” Forrest jumped to his feet and put me in a chokehold faster than I could make sense of what had just happened. The barrel of a gun pressed against my temple.

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for him to pull the trigger.

Everything I never got to do roared through my head: falling in love, getting married, having a baby. I never got to vacation in California or take an Alaskan cruise. Didn’t have a home of my own. Would never spend another holiday with my family.

I gulped, my chest tightening.

My family… I saw my parents and brothers. What would happen when they heard Forrest got me?

Tears pooled in my eyes thinking of my nieces, Nova and Cherish, and my unborn nephew. Would I get to meet Ace?

Russell’s handsome face filled the black void, and the taste of his lips tempered my fear. I felt his hands on my skin and smelled his natural musk. Maybe, just maybe, he could’ve been the one.

I may never know. Perhaps this was for the better.Don’t be stupid. Dying will destroy your family.

“I will kill you if you hurt her.” Stitch’s voice pulled me back to the present. “Let her go.”

“I’m the one with the gun, doc. If anyone is going to kill someone, it will be me.” Forrest pointed the gun at Stitch. I needed to do something to save him. Brady Hayes was like another older brother to me. I wouldn’t sit back and let Forrest kill him.

“Please don’t, Forrest. I’ll do anything.” The words flew out of my mouth.

“Anything?” he asked in a deranged tone and tightened his grip around my neck.

“Yes.”

“Piper, no.” Brady attempted to stand while pressing a hand against his side. His face was pale from all the blood he was losing. He wobbled on his feet, determined to help me and not caring about himself. No matter his condition, retribution seethed out of him like an erupting volcano.

Where was everyone? Mercy had run down the hallway to get help. What was taking them so long? Brady was bleeding out and could die.

“We need to go before anyone else gets hurt.” Forrest yanked me back toward the stairwell he probably had been in.

As I stared into Brady’s blue depths, I was too afraid to struggle and fight for my life. What if Forrest shot him as punishment? What if he blew my brains out and pumped every bullet into Brady in a fit of rage afterward?

I couldn’t risk it, so I moved without any resistance.

The echo of shoes pounding the linoleum made Forrest freeze, and in turn, me too.

“Fuck!” Forrest assessed the area and whipped his head back and forth frantically. No one was in the empty hallway. His gaze stopped at the supply closet Stitch and Mercy had been in. He bypassed it and went toward a patient’s room.

This wing was only used for overflow. It was probably why Stitch and Mercy were there together. People weren’t usually in this area, and they would have privacy. Of course Forrest had known the layout and procedures, having worked in the hospital for a few years.

He released me and pointed the gun at my chest. “Get in the room.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked and darted my eyes at Brady, willing him to stay put.

---